The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-09
ESTABLISHED 1850,
L. IL EsTII.L, Editor and Proprietor
ABIG DEAL IN VOUCHERS.
ONE OF THE DEPARTMENT CLERKS
STEALS $4,000.

a
ensation was created in the Treasury De-
nartment this afternoon by the discovery
thot trusted official in the department had
been guilty of systematic attempt to de
frand the government. The officer was ar
rested at Wilkesbare, Pa, yesterday after
noon as he was about to take train for
Washington and his dismissal from
+he service was ordered by Secre-
.ory Fairchild this afternoon. His
name is Oscar j. Harvey and he has been
employed in the department since June,
1855. when he was appointed chief of the
horse claims division of the Third Auditors
office. 1t was while he held this position
that he perpetrated the frauds with which
be is now charged
THE DISCOVERY.
On June last he was transferred to the
head of division in the Second ComptrollerS
Office division which has charge of claims
of the same nature as those in the division
which he had Just left. Austin H. Brown,
of indianapolis, succeeded Harvey as chief
of the horse claims division, and soon after
he took charge of the office he discovered
the frauds of which his predecessor had
been guilty. These consisted of the passage
of forty.six fraudulent claims for horses
aggregating 300, and the preparation of
2l6 additional cases of a similar nature
which were under consideration in the office
Soon after Mr.. Brown took charge he dis
covered something wrong and reported the
matter to the Secretary.
FORGED SIGNATURES.
He said his suspicious were first aroused
by a regularity in the autographc sigma
ture to a number Of claims for horses lost
or abandoned during the war by officers of
Pennsylvania and New Jersey regiments
On June The discovered a palpable forgery
in one of these cases, all of which appeared
to have been prosecuted by W. W.
Wynn, first of Philadelphia and then
of Washington. In the case refer
red to the claim was made by
H Stafford Campbell, late Lieutenant Colo
mel of the Eighty-third Pennsylvania In
fantry for three horses, valued at $500 each,
lost at different times. The affidavit of the
applicant was sworn to and subscribed
April 26, 1887, before ]. G. Monfort, Notary
Public of Philadelphia, whose iurat and
seal were attached. The sustaining witness
also made an affidavit before the same no
tary April 80, 1887
MIXED ON THE NAME.
In the body of this affidavit William H.
lamont is referred to as Major of the
Eighty-third regiment of Pennsylvania in
fantry. but the signature of the affidavit is
William II. Lambert The Adiutant Gen
eral of the Army certified that William H.
lamont was the right name of the Major
The claim was held up and letter was sent
to W. w. Wynn, the attorney in the case,
requesting him to call at the Office He did
not call and on June 2S the third auditor
received letter signed Lucretia A. Wynn,
saying that her husband w. w. Wynn,
was then absent in the West and would be
away two or three months, but that she
would send him any information necessary
to his business.
PAPERS ABSTRACTED
In the meantime the paper in the Camp
bell case certifying the genuineness of the
Signature had been distracted from the
office, and it was then found that the sigma
lures in that case and in twelve others in
volvlng the names of thirty-eight officers,
We're torgeries. Subsequently it was found
that the Second Auditors name had been
forged in certificates received from that
olfce, and also that none of the Pennsyl-
vaAla and New Jersey cases in which Wynn
was attorney, were entered upon the records
Of that Office. The claims which had been
allowed were then overhauled, and in al
most every instance it was found that the
second Auditors certificates as to the sigma
lures had been distracted, together with
other papers.
HARVEY STILL ON DUTY.
This investigation lasted over week, and
during that time Oscar J. Harvey was on
daty at his desk in the Second Comptrollers
oiHce, and there was every evidence that he
was concerned in the preparation of all tho
suspicious documents. The stamp of the
hlail room in the Third Auditors office and
Ine stamp of the Horse claims division had
p7eh forged and the dates arranged so as TO
ofnS them within the limitation fixed for
Lle e ming of these claims The stamp of the
SuaFtermaSter Generals office was also
forged. In this way forty-three fraudulent
'laililS, aggregating 81, 200, were paid.
PLAYING A DOUBLE ROLE.
Drafts were regularly issued, and an ex-
animation of such as have been returned as
paia shows that Harvey and Wynn are onet
Snu Inu the same person, and that although the
tho IhaitS were drawn in favor of the claimants
me money, with one or two exceptions,
"Vll' directly to Harvey or to some of his
seiaClNeS, He had secured their payment by
oIeiAS the signature of the payce and then
yWT"iSng the draft with his own name
ITy,lloft; the Philadelphia notary, like
yHl' the attorney, was found TO be myth
tbooi bbosC OF The notaries and persons named in
'Do elallns are unknown to the department.
@6l FRAUDULENT CASES
~ III addition TO forty three cases passed,
ratig COZ nave been fifty cases adjusted, aggre-
eeaJJ'ilS Sg0,OOO, and there are still pending
,lot ~ni uiladJusted cases amounting to Sl3,60O,
nj3iAilS total of POI fraudulent cases
f,n fnith I might have been eventually paid but
a}te we discovery. Harvey left Washington
oL,oJ July ! on short vacation, and, as
tnDauy stated was arrested as he was about
oeiteCurn: He was brought to this city by
bir,oIa OF the secret service, who have kept
g,I. ,iii under surveillance since he was first
on, n,PSSGOed He asked to see the Secretary
Ti,Hta TiH af Fairchild consented TO see him.
ard dIilct tEt Attorney Worthngton was sent for
enco aIrTEey saw the secretary in his pres
Tri,, ne was very much depressed III
F'''S ana seemed to be penitent.
~, CoNFEssEs HIS GUILT.
D,a;l'lh ";uPh he was informed of the evidence
naJanD JaD INN he broke down completely and
m,ttoS9 NIT a luil confession of his guilt He ad-
the a ca; not only that the papers on which
tho yisllHllS siiallllS were based were fraudulent and
Of bsnnature5 forged, but that the stamps
AnjIit. Quartermaster General and Second
b4on W., oflce were counterfeit and had
stated tppcured and used by him. He further
the tro.ilat gnat ne had no accomplices in any OF
had Ibaaansactlons, and that the whole scheme
'l concocted by himself.
HIS EXCUSE.
,ocr,ind l,v had been driven to it. he said, by
. man ~ necessities brought upon him by
4 shin WI WIN whom he had been in partner
4 pointn,au.. VINO, ever since he received his ap-